Taipei, Nov. 22 (CNA) The first ever Taiwan-Russia joint technology transfer workshop was held on Wednesday in Taipei to introduce advanced Russian technology to Taiwanese academics and businesses searching for cooperative opportunities.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Chern Jenn-chuan (陳振川), head of the Taiwan Chapter of the Russia International Academy of Engineering (IAE) and chief organizer of the event, said the half-day-workshop seeks to facilitate Taiwan-Russia cooperation in the field of science.
The workshop was attended by a Russian scientific delegation led by IAE President Boris Vladimirovich Gusev who helped to found the IAE Taiwan chapter in 2009. A renowned scientist, Gusev is also president of the Russia Academy of Engineering.
"It was 10 years ago when president Gusev first brought two of his deputies to Taiwan and first initiated the decade-long exchanges," Chern said.
Through these exchanges, Taiwan has been better able to learn about Russian advanced expertise in technology and other scientific fields. At the same time, the Russian side has gained first hand understanding of Taiwan's strength in systems integration and production, according to Chern.
Chern noted that the chapter previously took a delegation on a four-day tour to attend a forum at the IAE in Russia. The workshop on Wednesday shared information on potential business opportunities for academics and companies in Taiwan following the event in Russia, he said.
"A number of Taiwanese professors and business leaders were invited to the workshop so that they can establish contacts with the IAE," he said.
"This rare opportunity is to inform the Taiwan side that they can contact our chapter if they are interested in Russian technology and potential business opportunities," he added.
In his address, Gusev said he first visited Taiwan in 2007. "The chapter had a somewhat slow start but caught up quickly," he noted.
Now, he said the chapter is helping Russia conduct comprehensive exchanges with Taiwan, with a focus on renewable energy, sustainable development, engineering material and environmental protection, among others.
Currently 10 major cooperative projects are ongoing, he added.
Following the August visit to IAE, Gusev said the workshop will continue the work it started in Russia and has laid a foundation for future cooperation.
In addition to being the IAE Taiwan chapter head, Chern is also a board member and CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, which is responsible for the planning and development of events associated with the Tang Prize (唐獎).
The Tang Prize (唐獎) is a set of biennial international awards bestowed in four fields: sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology, and rule of law. Nomination and selection are conducted by an independent selection committee, which is formed in partial cooperation with Academia Sinica, Taiwan's top research institution.
Gusev is a member of the Tang Prize international advisory board.
(By Joseph Yeh)
Enditem/AW
